Lieutenant Commander Maxwell Shean DSO*, US Bronze Star
Lieutenant Commander Max Shean DSO*, US Bronze Star, RANVR, one of only three members of the RAN to be awarded a bar to his DSO
Image provided by the Shean Family
Western Australian Max Shean was a distinguished submariner recognised for his achievements in the conduct of operations in X and XE-class midget submarines during WWII.
Max Shean influenced the outcome of the war when in command of XE4 he and his team cut the Japanese undersea communications cable near Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) forcing the Japanese forces in Singapore to use HF radio to communicate with their headquarters in Tokyo. The Allies were then able to intercept Japanese communications and better able to appreciate their intentions.